Shingle sawing machine



Jan. 24, 1933. M. T. wHlTlNG SHINGLE SAWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 18, 19312 Sheets-Shee'b w .km

fnvenor.

hl -l l ..-Il l -lilll l G Patented Jan. 24, 1933 MAURICE T. W'HITING,OF DUXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS SHINGLE SAWI'NG MACHINE Application filedSeptember 1S, 1931, Serial No. 563,561, and in Ganada August 27, 1931.

rlhis invention r-elates to split wooden shingles, one face of whichpresents a rived or natural split appearance and the other face of whichis smooth and plane; 'and to a 5 machine for making such shingles.

rlhis type of shingle is made by sawing a split or rived shake into twopieces along a diagonal of the shake, thereby forming two shingles froma single shake. Since the shakes are split by hand from the log, theyvary considerably in thickness and, with the usual method of sawing theshakes, the butts of the shingles also Vary considerably in thickness.This variation in thickness of the butts of the shingles isobjectionable when the shingles are laid in a course on a roof sincethey form an irregular top surface upon which other shingles must belaid. As a consequence, there will be open spaces under the shinglesthrough which snow can blow and collect to melt later on and leakthrough into the interior of the building.

llVhile shingles that are irregular in thickness may make aroof thatwill shed wat-er, the root will not be tight against driving rain and.snow. Hence an object of the present invention is the provision or amachine for sawing splitsha-kes into shingles of the above describedtype that have butts all of approxi 0 mately the same thickness.

i further object of "he invention is a shake sawing machine that isarranged automatically to hold shakes of diiierent thicknesses and tosaw from such shakes shingles having butts all of the predeterminedthickness.

A. further object ot the invention is the provision of a shake sawingmachine arranged to receive shakes of different lengths.

llnother object of the invention isthe pro- ;on of a shake sawingmachine having t Lc clamping mechanism that engages the ke at apluraliti oit dillerent places along its length and holds the shakeinany one Vr' o or several predetermined positions with respect to Vthesaw.`

fr further object is generally to improve the construction and operationof shake saw- .nechanisni D y Specifically the invention comprises ashake supporting table which moves the shake against tie saw and hasdevices for holding the shake in such a manner that each shake issevered into two tapered shingles, all having the same thickness ofbutt, regardless of variations of thickness of the various shakes.

Fig. l is a plan View of the shake sawing mechanism embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken'along line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. l is al section taken along line 4 4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line 5 5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 6 6 of Fig. l,

The shake sawing machine embodying the present invention comprises adevice which holds the shake in a predetermined position as it isadvanced against a saw. In the present instance, the device isassociated with a band saw l0, which is preferred, although theinvention can be applied to other forms of saws. The shake holding andadvancing device comprises a horizontal table l2 which has guideways lesecured to its under face and which run on rails 16 carried by the bedi8 to guide the table toward and away from the saw. The table l2 has alongitudinal saw slot 2O therein which extends from the forward endtoward the rea-r end of the table and in which the saw operates.Removable upper and lowerplates 22, the upper one of which is shown inFig. l, rigidly connect the two parts of the table on opposite sides ofthe saw slot and can be removed to permit the saw to be withdrawn fromthe slot.

The table is provided with a vertical rest or abutment 24 that is madeof wood and is located at the rear end of the saw slot and is adapted tosupport the rear end of the shake 26 against the pressure of the saw asthe table is advanced to move lthe shake against the saw. The shake-rest24- is provided with a vertical slot Q8 which extends inwardly from theforward edge thereof and is in line with the saw slot 2O and is adaptedto receive the ing bolt 88 carried by the table is located and by whichbolt the bracket and consequently' the shake-rest can be secured in anydesired position in the length of the table.

The. shake 26 is of generally rectangular r cross section and has theopposite faces 40 which present a natu-ral split or rived appearance. Inaccordance with this invention, the shake is supported on its narrowlong edge on the table above and in diagonal relation with the saw slotand in such manner that the same amount of the thickness of the ends 'ofall shakes of the same length, regardless' of their thickness, extendslaterally beyond the saw slot, so that the shingles from all of theshakes have the same butt-thickiiess For this purpose, the shake islocated between pairs of supporting and clamping devices which aredisposed ahead of the shake-rest, on opposite sides of the saw slot andnear the front and rear ends, respectively, of the shake. The frontsupporting and clamping kdevice includes an abutment or bumper 42 whichhas a vertically extended rigid mem-r ber 44 provided with an arcuatevertical face 46 that is adapted to beengaged by one of the broad splitfaces of. the shake. Said vertical-member 44 is rigid with a horizontalleg 48 that is slidable in a guideway 50 that is extended transverselyofthe length of the table on'one side of the saw slot 20. Said leg 48`has a longitudinally elongated slot 52 therein in which a clamping bolt54 'carried bythe table is located so that the abutment vcan be clampedrigid with the table at any desired distance from the saw slot, therebyto determine the thickness of the butt of the shingle containing themajor part of the front edge of the shake.

The associatedclamping device includes a vertical pusher member 56 thatis located on the 'side of the saw slot opposite. and in confrontingrelation with the abutment 42. Said pusher member preferably is of'woodand has an arcuate face 58 which engages the broad vertical face olthe shake opposite-the abutment 42.- Said pusher member is secured totheiiace of a vertical metal plate 60 which is y' loosely hinged by apivot pin 62 tc a hori- Zontallyunovable rod 64 so that said pushermember can oscillate to a certain extent in a vertical plane and therebyadjust itself to theirregular surfaces of the various shakes. The rod64'. is slidably received in apertures ot' upstanding ears 68 of asupporting bracket 70 that is carried by the table. The rod 64is-preferably of square oi' other non-circular cross section and theopenings in the ears 68, or at least one ear, are correspondingly formedso that the rod can not rotate in said ears and is ythereby constrainedto support the pusher member in vertical position. A compression spi-ing72 encircles said rod 64 and bears against the outer ear 68 and againsta pin 74 carried by said rod intermediate its ends whereby to urge saidrod constantly toward the shake and thereby to clamp the shake betweenthe pusher member and the opposing abutment member.

The sliake-smaporting and clamping device at the rear end of the shakecomprises an abutment member 76 that is similar in construction to theiront abutment member 42 but is located on the opposite side ofthe sawslot and is arranged to engage the opposite side of the shake. A pushermember 78 carried by a rod 80 and constructed similarly to the abovedescribed pusher member cooperates rwith, the abutment member 76. Aspring 8201i the red 80 acts on a pin 84 of said rod and against anupstaiiding ear of a supporting bracket 86 to press said pusher memberagainst the shake and thereby clamp the shake between said pusher memberand the cooperating .abutment member 76. The

springs 72 and 82 are under initial compression and act constantly tourge they pusher members in a clamping direction.

Actuating mechanism is provided to retract both pusher members orclamping devices concurrently away from clamping engagement with theshake and to hold them in such retracted position for removing theshingles sawn from the shake and'for introducing a new shake intopositions* The actuating mechanism includes a rotary circular metalactuating plate 88 which is disposed 'in the middle of the table betweenthe pusher member 56 and the'abutment member 76. Said plate 88is'loosely mounted upon a horizontal wear plate 90 which rests upon theupper faceV of a block or standard 92 secured to the table l2 by bolts94. Said plate 88 is rotatable in a horizontal plane on a verticallyextended pivot bolt 96 which is carried by the table and the standard92. Said plate 88 is provided with a handle 98 by which the plate can berotated oroscillated. Said handle is provided with a spring-pressedlatch pin 100 that rides overand can engage any one of the teeth of aratchet'segnient 102 carried by the plate 90 thereby to hold therotatable plate 88 releasably in any set position. The latch 100 can bereleased bya latch-release member 104 carriedrby and pivcted to thehandle. Said actuating plate 88 is connected with the pusher member 56through a lever 106 that is pivot'ed at its forward end on a bolt 108carried by an upstanding post 110 which is the rear end thereof overliessaid plate 88 and has a longitudinally elongated slot 112 therein inwhich an upstanding stud bolt or pin 114, see especially Fig. 6, of saidplate is located. VJith this arrangement, the oscillation of said platecan reciprocate said lever freely. Said lever is provided intermediateits ends with a longitudinally elongated slot 116 through which the rod64 of the pusher member 56 passes loosely. Said lever is located on theside ot the pin 74 opposite the spring 2 and is adapted to bear againstsaid pin when the lever is moved in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1,thereby to retract the pusher member from engagement with the shake.

The oscillatory movement oic the actuating plate 88 also controls therear pusher member 8. To this end, a bell crank lever 118 is pivoted ona bolt 12() of the post 92 and has a leg 122 which overlies the plate 88on the side opposite the lever 106. Said arm has a longitudinallyelongated slot 124 in which a stud bolt or pin 126 ot said plate islocated. The bell crank lever has another arm 128 which has alongitudinally-elongated slot 130 thereof an elevated horizontal lever138 which eX- tends transversely of the table at the rear end thereof.Said lever is pivoted in the middle thereoiiv on a bolt 140 carried byan upstan'ding bracket 142, see especially lEig. 2, which straddles theguideway for the shake-rest E24-and is secured on opposite sides of saidguideway to the table. v The other end orP said lever 138 is'pivotallyconnected by bolt 143 to the rear end of a link 144. Said link y*eX-tends forwardly in generally parallel relation with the side orA thetable opposite the irst link and is pivoted on a bolt146 connected withan arm 148 of a bell'crank lever 150. Said bolt 146 is adjustablylocated in a slot 152 of said arm of said bell crank lever in a mannersimilar to the arrangement of the bolt 132 and for the same purpose.rlhe bell crank lever 150 is pivoted on an upstanding bolt 154 of a post156 carried by the table and has a forwardly extended arm 158 that ispivotally connected by a bolt 160 to the. rear end ot an actuating lever162 `.For the pusher member 7 8. VSaid lever entends along the length ofthe table and the forward end there* of is pivoted on an upstanding bolt164mv the post 166. The pusher rod 8O passes through an intermediateportion of'said lever 162 g and said lever can bear against the springretaining pin 84 thereof, whereby to move i said rod against the forceof the spring and thereby withdraw the pusher member from engagementwith the shake. The arrangement of the links and levers is suoli thatboth pusher members can be retracted at the same time and held inretracted position to permit a new shake to be inserted in position. Thesprings of the pusher members automatically move the pusher membersagainst the shake when the latch pin ol the handle is disengaged fromthe ratchet.

With this arrangement, the pusher members can hold the shakes of variousthicknesses against the cooperating abutment members withoutadjustment.Y Since the distance from the abutment members to the path ofthe saw remains liXed, regardless of the thickness of the shake, itfollows that the thickness oi' the butts of the shingles formed fromshakes oiidiflerent thicknesses is the same regardless of variationsinthickness of the shakes. Shingles having butts of differentpredetermined thicknesses can be made by the present apparatus byproperly positioning the abutment members with respect to the path ofthe saw. Shakes of different lengths can be formed into shingles havingthe same butt thickness by a suitable adjustment of the shake rest 24. v

l claim:

1. In a shingle sawing machine, a device for holding a shake at adiagonal to the saw path so that the shake is severed intotwo taperedshingles, said device comprising a forward abutment which is located onone side of the saw path and is adapted to 'be enga-ged by the forwardportionof one broad face of the shake, a rear abutment which is locatedVon the opposite side of the saw path and is adapted to be engaged by therear portion of the opposite broad face of the shake,

yand clampingdevices which oppose said abutments on opposite ysides ofthe saw path and 'are normally biasedfor' holding the shake against saidabutments, and means for holding said clamping devices in an inoperativeposition for permitting a shake to be inserted between them and saidabutments and also for releasing said devices to engage the shake.

2. In a shingle sawing machine, a device Vfor holding a shake at adiagonal to the saw path so that the'shake is severed into two taperedshingles, said device comprising a forward abutment which is located onone side of the saw path and is adapted to be engaged by the, forwardportion Vor the broad face of the shake, a rear abutment which islocated on the opposite side of the saw ,path and is adapted to beengaged by the rear portion of the oppositebroad face of the shake,

springau'ged clamping means normally biased to :torce the shake againstsaid abutments, and means for lockingboth clamping ce 7ices releasablyin retracted position.

v3. In a shingle sawing machine,'a. device `for holding a shakeat adiagonal to the saw path so thatk the sha-ke is severed into two taperedshingles, said device comprising a forward abutment whichis located onone side ofthe saw rpath and is adapted to be engaged by the forwardportion of onebroad yface of the shake, a rear abutment which is locatedon the opposite side of the saw path vand is adapted to be engaged bythe rear portion'of the opposite broad face of the shake, spring-urgedclamping means normallyV biased to force thefsliake against saidabutments, and zreleasable retaining means for saidV clamping meanswhich holds said clamp-V ing means in a shake-free position against theurge of said springs so that a shake can be inserted between saidclamping means land ,abutments 4. In a shingle sawing machine, a devicefor holdinga shake at a diagonal to the saw path so that the shake issevered into two tapered shingles, said device comprising a forwardabut-ment which is located on one side of the saw path and is adapted tobe engagedby the forward portion of one broad face `of the shake, a.lrear abutment which is located on the opposite side ofthe saw path andis adapted to be engaged by the rear portion of the opposite broad faceof the shake, spring-urged clamping devices which oppose said-"abutmentson opposite sides of the saw path and are normally biased for holdingthe shake against said abutments, and releasable retaining mechanismconnected with .said

clamping devices for retracting both concurrently and for holding themin a shake-free position against the action of the springs.

5. In a shingle sawing machine, a device for holding a shake at adiagonal to the saw path so that they shake is severed Vinto two taperedshingles, said device comprising al'novable sh ake-supportingtablehavingyarestf which-is engaged by the end of the shake and `front andrear shakel supporting abutments disposed on opposite sides of the sawpath and between and against which the shake is .adapted to be located,clamping devices which oppose said abutments onv opposite sides kof thesaw path for holdingk the shake against said abutments, spring-means for,urging said clampingdevice toward said abutment-s, a pivoted leverassociated with each clamping'device for moving it positively away fromits cooperating abutment, and

mechanism for retracting both of said clamping. devices l 'concurrentlyagainst the action of said spring means including a rotating handlelocated at one side of thesaw path and having a direct connect-ion withone lever, and link and lever mechanism connecting said ,handle wit-hsaid other lever.

v6. In a shingle vsawingdevice, a shake supporting table having a sawslot, a shake-rest at one end of saidl slot, means for securingsaid'restin any one of several positions along the length of said slot,front and rear shakesupporting abutments located on opposite sidesofsaid saw slot forwardly of said rest, means for securing said abutmentsin any one of several locations which are differently spaced from saidsaw slot and for positively holding them against movement lengthwise ofsaid slot, spring-urged clamping devices confronting said abutments onopposite sides of said saw slot, an operating handle forsaidclampingdevices, link and lever mechanism connecting said operatlng handle andclamping devices for retracting both of said clamping devicesconcurrently and for permitting them Vto bear on a shake independentlyofk any pressures on said handle, and means for lockingsaid clampingdevices releasably in retracted position comprising releasable lockingmeans for said handle. p

7. In a shinglesawing device, a movable shake-supporting table havingshake clamp-y ing means including a fixed abutment on one side of thesaw path, a vertical clamping foot movable toward and away from saidabutment on the other side of Said saw path, a horizontal supporting rodhaving a pivotal connection withsaid foot in the vertical middle thereofso that said foot can swing on both sides of the pivot, a bracketinwhich said rod is slidable, a pivoted lever engagingy rod is slidable, apivoted lever engaging said rod for moving it positively away from said;

abutment, a spring encircling said rod for i moving it toward saidabutment-independently of any actuating pressure on but under control ofsaid lever, and a pivotedvhandle having a pin and slot connection withsaid lever for actuating it. n e

9. Inra shingle sawing device, a movable shake-supporting table having asaw slot and a shake-rest at one end thereof, front and rearshake-supporting abutm'ents carried by said table infront of said reston opposite sidesofsaid slot, shake-clamping devices opposing saidabutments on opposite sides of said slot and movable toward and awayfrom V'said abutments, springk means urging said clamping devices towardsaid abutment's, and

actuating mechanism for retracting saidy clamping devices comprising apivoted actuating plate having an actuating handle, a pivoted leverconnected with one of said clamping devices and vhaving a pin and slotconnectionwithsaid plate, a second pivoted lever connected with saidother clamping `device, a pair of bell crank levers one having a pin andslot connection with said plate and the other with said second lever, athird lever pivoted intermediate its ends and lo-` cated in the rear ofsaid rest transversely of said table, and links connecting said bellcrank levers with the opposite ends of said thrustlever, and means forholding said han= dle rcleasably in an actuated position.

10. A shingle sawing device comprising a movable shake-supporting tablehaving a saw slot, iront and rear shake-supporting abutments located inspaced relation lengthwise oit' and on opposite sides of said saw slot,shake-clamping members confronting said abutments on opposite sides ofsaid saw slots, springs for urging said clamping members toward saidabutments, pivoted levers for moving said clamping members away fromsaid abutments and for compressing said springs, means including arotatable member having operative connections with said levers formoving them in one direction to permit said springs to move saidclamping members toward said abutments and in the opposite direction toretract said clamping members, and ratchet mechanism to hold saidrotatable member in any set position corresponding to it retractedposition of said clamping memers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MAURICE T. WHITING.

